Zoisite

specimen number:
9530102

location:
Merelani Hills, Arusha Region, Tanzania

description:

A crystal of outstanding quality for the species, a blue glassy absolute gem sharp crystal of tanzanite. Very little matrix attached. This sits perfectly by itself or display. Total weight is 23.2 g. The specimen comes with a custom acrylic display base.

The Merelani Hills in northern Tanzania became globally famous following the discovery of gem-quality blue zoisite in 1967, with commercial mining and international marketing launching in 1968 through a partnership with Tiffany and Company, and unlike temporary deposits, these active mines have no set closing date and continue operating today. Geologically, the region sits within the Mozambique Belt, where intense Neoproterozoic metamorphic activity folded and altered a narrow zone of graphite-rich gneisses, schists, and marbles. Within these unique host rocks, hydrothermal fluids and trace amounts of vanadium combined under high pressure and temperature to form the rare violet-blue variety of zoisite known commercially as tanzanite, which remains entirely unique to this single two-square-kilometer deposit.

Questions about this specimen?
Send an email or call us: 314-341-1811.